Pray More, Fast More, Take Godly Action!
Ezra and Nehemiah provide a powerful example of how to pray and fast.
Jesus said some things don’t happen except by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21). It’s easier to remember this in a challenging situation, but also a Christian must be praying and fasting regularly to live a spiritually strong life. We must fast more often than just on the Day of Atonement.
A powerful biblical example of prayer and fasting can be found in the lives of Ezra and Nehemiah. God’s involvement and master timing were evident from when He “stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia” (Ezra 1:1) in 538 B.C. to decree that willing Jews should go to Jerusalem and “build the house of the LORD” (verse 3). The 70-year exile in Babylon was over.
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, encouraged by the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah, the temple was completed ca. 516-515 B.C. Yet, Jerusalem and Judah were in dire need of spiritual rebuilding.
The Example of Ezra
So, in 457 B.C., Ezra, of the Aaronic priesthood, led 1,754 returning Jews, Benjamites and Levites on the roughly 900-mile four-month journey. (Note that not all of the 12 tribes were included in this journey as is often claimed [10:9].)
Ezra, whose name was short for Azariah meaning “Yahweh has helped,” was “a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses” (7:6) who “had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (verse 10). Doing and teaching! By Jesus’ definition in Matthew 5:19, Ezra shall be called great in the Kingdom.
There are several important lessons we can learn about prayer and fasting from the example of Ezra.
Humility
“Humble ourselves before our God” (Ezra 8:21). This is surely a foundational requirement for prayer and fasting! “On this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:2). Ezra inspired the people to also tremble at the words of God (Ezra 9:4).
To truly act with humility, we need to be open to God’s guidance. Again, in Ezra 8:21, we see Ezra instructing the people to “seek from [God] the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.”
In seeking God’s way, it’s not wrong to tell God our ideas. In Isaiah 1:18, God invites us to “reason together.” Like a good parent, God is interested in our opinions and wants us to share all the details of our lives. But the key chapter in the Bible about fasting (Isaiah 58) cautions in verse 4 that we must not try to “make your voice heard on high.” God does not need us to be His counselor (Romans 11:34). The bottom line when praying or fasting, we must trust God the Father to know best and not lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5).
Dependance on God
Another key is to recognize our total dependence on God and be receptive to His will. King Artaxerxes’ letter to Ezra (7:11-26) indicates that he would have been happy to provide a security escort, but in 8:22, we read that Ezra “was ashamed” to ask because he had boldly told the king in faith that God would protect them. In the following verses we learn that their gold and silver was estimated to weigh over 28 tons! (verse 26). Clearly, God had already provided for His people, and they were depending on Him to continue doing so.
Repentant Heart
When confronted by the leaders that the priests, Levites and people had not separated themselves from intermarriage with the peoples of the lands (9:1), first Ezra began fasting (verse 5). He prayed like Daniel, acknowledging his and his people’s sins before God (verse 6). He praised God’s righteousness for His mercy to His lowly remnant, too guilty to stand before Him (verse 15).
Fervency
Ezra prayed “confessing, weeping, and bowing down” (10:1). “The effective, fervent prayer of a right-
eous man avails much” (James 5:16).
Inspiration
God can answer through direct intervention but also through circumstances, inspiration or advice. Shechaniah spoke up, surely by God’s inspiration, and forcefully told Ezra: “Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it” (Ezra 10:4).
Ezra pondered his advice, fasted some more and mourned for their guilt [remember the Beatitude that God will bless those who mourn with comfort (Matthew 5:4)]. Then Ezra took godly and timely action!
The Example of Nehemiah
In 444 B.C., while serving as King Artaxerxes’ cupbearer, a civil service position demanding the utmost trust of the king, which archeology found in one case merited the fourth highest salary, Nehemiah learned from Hanani that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the gates burned with fire! (Nehemiah 1:2-3).
There are 11 recorded instances of Nehemiah praying, and it is clear that he fasted as well: “I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (verse 4). We can learn from his example as we did with Ezra’s.
Heartfelt
Nehemiah “sat down and wept, and mourned for many days” (verse 4). No wonder his name means “Yahweh comforts.” Like Ezra, Nehemiah poured his heart out!
Persistent
Nehemiah prayed to God about the situation day and night (like the persistent widow before the unrighteous judge in Luke 18:1-8). He began by not asking for anything for himself; rather, like in the Lord’s Prayer, humbly hallowing God’s name. He also confessed self and nation like Daniel did and reminded God of His promises to those who return to Him and do His will (Nehemiah 1:6-10).
Patient
We can follow his persistence with patience. Nehemiah waited four months! Faith is long- passioned. “Nehemiah did not ask in haste, but carefully bided his time, constantly praying to God to grant the proper opening” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary). God is the Master Timer—we must let Him! When we sing “As for Me and My House” about “True blessings come in Your time, never early, never late,” do we ever think they come early?
Tuned to God’s Will
Nehemiah was in tune with God so that his prayer was according to His will. This is a step beyond just asking with no clue for God’s will to be done.
One lesson from the Bible is that at times we may become the answer to our own prayer! Joseph said Egypt needed a man who could manage the famine and Pharaoh recognized that he was the man. Boaz called Naomi and Ruth blessed for coming to be redeemed, and he ended up no longer being “Ruthless.” Nehemiah left his comfortable life in Persia where he was no doubt positioned by God so he could become His instrument to confront the problems in Jerusalem.
Silent Prayers Count Too
When the king saw him sad in his presence, which had never happened before, Nehemiah became “dreadfully afraid” (Nehemiah 2:2). Persian monarchs believed that just being in their presence ought to arouse great happiness. And Nehemiah was about to ask to exit stage south!
It’s implied that Nehemiah prayed a silent prayer to God for the right words and favor (verse 4), as this happens in the middle of a conversation with the king. Silent prayers work, and in fact, God knows what we want to say even before we’ve actually formed the thought (Romans 8:26).
Prepared
Nehemiah had prepared! He was able to tell the king how long he planned to be gone and to ask for the permits he would need for travel and supplies. He had even searched out Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, so he had begun to make the necessary connections.
Nehemiah boldly asked God to “let Your servant prosper this day” (Nehemiah 1:11). Though he had prayed and fasted for days, Nehemiah boldly still believed and asked God for an immediate answer to his prayer and fasting! We must desire God’s will and not our own, and accept it as He shows it, but why not still prepare for the reality that He might just say “YES!” right away! (Hebrews 11:6). When we pray as Jesus instructed in Mark 11:23-24 without doubting for a mountainous problem to be cast into the sea, we should already hear the splash!
Remember, as James 2:22-24 teaches, faith without accompanying works is useless—dead!
Preparing for the coming of Jesus Christ
Judah had to be restored with a temple to set the stage for the first coming of the Messiah. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, which the Hebrew canon counts as one book, provide inspiring lessons and parallels with the end-time work of building the New Testament spiritual “temple” of God, the Church—you and me—in preparation for Christ’s second coming.
It’s not ever going to be by our might or power, but by God’s Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).
Let’s pray more, fast more, and take godly action in faith!
Course Content
Robert Curry
Robert Curry and his wife Mary live in Canon City, Colorado and have three daughters and one son. Robert serves in the Colorado Springs congregation. He enjoys writing for UCG publications and writing a personal blog.
